Ferrari secured a disappointing third-row start for the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, falling short of expectations as team principal Frederic Vasseur admitted the Scuderia struggled to find the right setup and tire preparation path.
"P5 and P6 was not the objective, clearly. I think we struggled all three sessions, between the preparation lap and choosing whether to push immediately, and with the rain arriving at the end we lost our way a bit," Vasseur explained following the session.
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SubscribeVasseur acknowledged that McLaren maintained a noticeable performance advantage throughout qualifying, running one to two tenths faster than the Maranello-based squad on single-lap pace.
Despite the grid setback, the Ferrari boss highlighted a potential silver lining for race day, noting that the team saved an extra set of fresh soft tires that could provide a strategic opening.
Vasseur Eyes Race Day Recovery After Zandvoort Qualifying
"The positive point is that we have an extra set of softs for tomorrow," Vasseur said, though he conceded that overtaking challenges at Zandvoort make starting further up the grid traditionally much more advantageous.
"We saw this morning that it is very difficult to overtake, and that means maybe it would have been better to burn the set and be in a better position on the grid," he added, reflecting on the team's tire allocation choices.
Addressing the impact of late rain drops during the session, Vasseur noted that while precipitation did not help their cause, it was not the root cause of Ferrari's deficit compared to their rivals.
"Sure the rain didn't help us, but I don't think it's the main problem, because McLaren has been ahead for the whole session by a couple of tenths," the Ferrari principal stated.